4 April

Long-Term Ocean Climate Observations (LOCO) – D301/302

Cruise Diary – 4^thApril 2006	ADCP with floatation at the top of the mooring Taking off the instruments from the mooring cable
Tuesday - Since yesterday conditions have become rougher and rougher. Gradually the Discovery came out of the lee of the island Madagascar and the swell became stronger and stronger. Yesterday evening and during the night a loud of noise of falling and sliding things made clear that we all had to get used again to being on the real ocean. Also sleeping was difficult on such o rolling vessel. However, none of us, including those that are for the first time at sea, got seasick. This morning the program (re)started with a CTD station and in the afternoon the first mooring was recovered successfully despite the rough conditions that made the working much more difficult than last week. Although the moorings are similar, it is of interest to see both the small differences in the design and in the handling of the moorings. That is a very good side effect of such a joint cruise with both scientists and technicians from different institutes and different countries.
	At this moment the work has stopped, hopefully for a few hours: the combination of a strong swell and a strong current makes the lowering of the CTD frame to risky. We hope to be able to continue the work later in the evening. _______________
Public in the 'mooring theater'